How to Install Celluloid on Ubuntu (26.04, 24.04, 22.04)

When you want mpv’s codec support in a normal GTK video player, Celluloid gives you that without moving to a heavier media player. You can install Celluloid on Ubuntu with several maintained package formats, and the xuzhen666 PPA still matters on Ubuntu 24.04 and 22.04 when you want a newer APT package.

Celluloid is available in Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04, but the default version changes a lot between releases. Upstream does not publish an official Ubuntu .deb, and the package still needs an active graphical session to open its window even though installation works fine over SSH or on a minimal Ubuntu image.

Install Celluloid on Ubuntu

Packaging choice matters more on Ubuntu 24.04 and 22.04 than on 26.04, because the stock package lags behind the current 0.29 branch on the older LTS releases. This comparison keeps the trade-offs visible before you commit to one package format.

Method	Channel	Version	Updates	Best For
APT	Ubuntu Repos	Distribution default	Automatic via apt upgrade	Clean desktop integration
APT PPA	Launchpad PPA	Newer APT build on 24.04 and 22.04	Automatic via apt upgrade	Newer APT package on older LTS releases
Snap	Snapcraft	Latest stable	Automatic background updates	Hands-off updates
Flatpak	Flathub	Latest stable	Manual via sudo flatpak update	Same version across all supported LTS releases

The default Ubuntu package is the safest recommendation on 26.04 because it already ships Celluloid 0.29. On 24.04 and 22.04, the PPA, Snap, or Flathub builds make more sense when you want a newer release.

• Choose the Ubuntu repository when you want the least maintenance and the best fit with the rest of your desktop.
• Choose the xuzhen666 PPA on Ubuntu 24.04 or 22.04 when you want a newer APT package without moving away from the APT workflow.
• Choose Snap when automatic background updates matter more than using Ubuntu’s own package version.
• Choose Flathub when you want the same Celluloid version across Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04.

Ubuntu Release	Default Celluloid	Newer Package Option	What Changes
Ubuntu 26.04	0.29.x	Not needed for a newer APT build	The stock package already matches the current 0.29 branch.
Ubuntu 24.04	0.26.x	0.27.x from the xuzhen666 PPA	The PPA, Snap, and Flathub builds move you past Ubuntu’s older default.
Ubuntu 22.04	0.20.x	0.24.x from the xuzhen666 PPA	The biggest gap is on 22.04, so newer package sources are more compelling.

Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04 all support the repository, Snap, and Flathub methods shown here. The xuzhen666 PPA publishes packages for Ubuntu 24.04 and 22.04 only, so Ubuntu 26.04 users should stay with the distro package, Snap, or Flathub.

Install Celluloid from Ubuntu’s Default Repository

Ubuntu’s Universe repository gives you the cleanest package-manager experience, and on Ubuntu 26.04 it already ships the current 0.29 branch. The package name and the launcher name are both celluloid, so the install and launch commands stay simple.

sudo apt update

If your account cannot use sudo yet, follow add a new user to sudoers on Ubuntu before continuing.

Install the package after the metadata refresh finishes.

sudo apt install celluloid

Verify the installed package with apt-cache policy. For GUI apps, this is more dependable than assuming a version flag stays headless-safe in every environment.

apt-cache policy celluloid

celluloid:
   Installed: 0.29-3
   Candidate: 0.29-3
   Version table:
 *** 0.29-3 500
            500 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu resolute/universe amd64 Packages
            100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Ubuntu 24.04 reports 0.26-1build2 after installation, and Ubuntu 22.04 reports 0.20-2. If you would rather use the playback engine without the GTK layer, install mpv media player on Ubuntu instead.

Install Celluloid from the xuzhen666 PPA on Ubuntu 24.04 and 22.04

The xuzhen666 PPA still uses its older gnome-mpv name, but it packages Celluloid. This method is useful only on Ubuntu 24.04 and 22.04, where it raises the APT candidate above the version in Ubuntu’s own repository.

Ubuntu 26.04 cannot use this PPA. The resolute suite currently returns E: The repository 'https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/xuzhen666/gnome-mpv/ubuntu resolute Release' does not have a Release file.

Minimal Ubuntu images may not include add-apt-repository. Install software-properties-common first only when that helper command is missing.

sudo apt install software-properties-common

Add the PPA next. The -y flag accepts the repository prompt automatically.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:xuzhen666/gnome-mpv -y

Refresh APT again so Ubuntu can read the new Launchpad source.

sudo apt update

Hit:5 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/xuzhen666/gnome-mpv/ubuntu noble InRelease

Install Celluloid after the PPA metadata appears in the update output.

sudo apt install celluloid

Confirm that APT selected the PPA build instead of the Ubuntu archive package.

apt-cache policy celluloid

celluloid:
   Installed: 0.27-1~24.04~ppa1
   Candidate: 0.27-1~24.04~ppa1
   Version table:
 *** 0.27-1~24.04~ppa1 500
            500 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/xuzhen666/gnome-mpv/ubuntu noble/main amd64 Packages
            100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
       0.26-1build2 500

Ubuntu 22.04 shows the same pattern with 0.24-1~22.04~ppa2 as the installed version and 0.20-2 as the stock archive package underneath it.

Install Celluloid from Snap on Ubuntu

The Snap build tracks Celluloid 0.29 and updates itself in the background. Standard Ubuntu desktop installs already ship snapd, but minimal and server images may need the package first.

sudo apt install snapd

When snapd is already present, APT reports that it is already the newest version and you can move straight to the next command.

Install the Snap package from the stable channel.

sudo snap install celluloid

Verify the installed Snap package and channel after the install completes.

snap list celluloid

Name       Version  Rev  Tracking       Publisher         Notes
celluloid  0.29     322  latest/stable  sameersharma2006  -

Install Celluloid from Flathub on Ubuntu

Flathub is the easiest way to keep the same Celluloid version across Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, and 22.04. This workflow uses system scope, so the remote, install, update, and removal commands all keep sudo for consistency.

Ubuntu does not install Flatpak by default. If you still need the base package and Flathub setup, follow install Flatpak on Ubuntu first.

Add the Flathub remote with the current canonical descriptor URL. The --if-not-exists flag keeps repeat runs from failing.

sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

The next check uses grep to show only the Flathub line, and grep command in Linux with examples explains how to adapt that filter later.

flatpak remotes | grep "^flathub"

flathub system

Install Celluloid from Flathub after the remote is visible. The -y flag accepts the runtime and app prompts automatically.

sudo flatpak install flathub io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid -y

Verify the installed Flatpak app and version with flatpak info.

flatpak info io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid

Celluloid - Plays videos

               ID: io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid
             Ref: app/io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid/x86_64/stable
            Arch: x86_64
         Branch: stable
       Version: 0.29
         Origin: flathub
Installation: system

Launch Celluloid on Ubuntu

These launch commands open the GTK application window, so use them from a local desktop session or another environment with graphical access. A package can install cleanly over SSH while the actual media player still waits for a GUI session.

Launch Celluloid from a Terminal on Ubuntu

Use the launcher that matches your package format.

APT or PPA build:

celluloid

Snap build:

snap run celluloid

Flathub build:

flatpak run io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid

Launch Celluloid from the Ubuntu Applications Menu

Ubuntu desktop users can also open Celluloid from the application grid.

Activities > Show Applications > Celluloid

Celluloid can also load external mpv.conf and input.conf files from Preferences > Config Files. The official Celluloid FAQ covers that workflow in more detail.

Update Celluloid on Ubuntu

Updates stay tied to the package format you picked during installation.

Update an APT Build of Celluloid on Ubuntu

APT users only need a metadata refresh plus a package-only upgrade command.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade celluloid

Update the Celluloid Snap on Ubuntu

Snap refreshes itself automatically, but you can force the check immediately.

sudo snap refresh celluloid

Update the Flathub Build of Celluloid on Ubuntu

System-scope Flatpak installs should stay on the same system scope for updates.

sudo flatpak update io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid

If you prefer, sudo flatpak update refreshes every installed Flatpak app instead of only Celluloid.

Troubleshoot Celluloid on Ubuntu

Most install problems on Ubuntu come down to version availability, package-source mismatches, or sandbox permissions.

Fix Celluloid PPA Errors on Ubuntu 26.04

If you try the xuzhen666 PPA on Ubuntu 26.04, apt update stops because the PPA does not publish a resolute Release file.

sudo apt update

E: The repository 'https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/xuzhen666/gnome-mpv/ubuntu resolute Release' does not have a Release file.

Remove the PPA and switch to the Ubuntu repository, Snap, or Flathub build instead.

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:xuzhen666/gnome-mpv -y
sudo apt update

Fix Celluloid Flatpak Drive Access on Ubuntu

The Flathub build already ships with Pictures and GVFS access, so it can see many user-mounted locations without extra overrides. Check the current sandbox permissions first before you add broader filesystem access.

flatpak info --show-permissions io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid

[Context]
shared=network;ipc;
sockets=x11;wayland;pulseaudio;fallback-x11;
devices=all;
filesystems=xdg-run/pipewire-0:ro;xdg-pictures;xdg-run/gvfsd;xdg-run/gvfs;

If files mounted directly under /media still do not appear, add a user-scope override for that path. Overrides are stored per user, so the --user flag is intentional even when the app itself was installed system-wide.

flatpak override --user --filesystem=/media io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid

Fix Celluloid Snap Access to Removable Media on Ubuntu

The Snap build needs the removable-media interface before it can browse files on external drives mounted outside your home directory.

sudo snap connect celluloid:removable-media :removable-media

Confirm that the interface is connected before testing playback again.

snap connections celluloid | grep removable-media

removable-media         celluloid:removable-media         :removable-media          manual

Remove Celluloid on Ubuntu

Use the removal path that matches the package format you installed. The verification step matters here too, because it confirms Ubuntu is no longer using the package source you removed.

Remove an APT or PPA Build of Celluloid on Ubuntu

Remove the package first, then clear orphaned dependencies that APT pulled in with it.

sudo apt remove celluloid
sudo apt autoremove

If you installed the xuzhen666 PPA build, remove that source separately and refresh APT so Ubuntu falls back to its own archive again.

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:xuzhen666/gnome-mpv -y
sudo apt update

Check the package state afterward. On Ubuntu 24.04, the PPA version disappears and the candidate drops back to the distro package.

apt-cache policy celluloid

celluloid:
   Installed: (none)
   Candidate: 0.26-1build2
   Version table:
       0.26-1build2 500
            500 http://au.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/universe amd64 Packages

Ubuntu 26.04 shows 0.29-3 as the remaining candidate after removal, and Ubuntu 22.04 shows 0.20-2.

Remove the Celluloid Snap on Ubuntu

Use --purge so the remove step does not create a fresh automatic snapshot.

sudo snap remove --purge celluloid

Confirm that Snap no longer lists Celluloid.

snap list celluloid

error: no matching snaps installed

Remove the Flathub Build of Celluloid on Ubuntu

Uninstall the Flatpak app from the same system scope used during installation.

sudo flatpak uninstall io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid -y

Verify that Flatpak no longer sees the app afterward.

flatpak info io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid

error: io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid/*unspecified*/*unspecified* not installed

These commands do not touch your media files. Snap stores per-user data under ~/snap/celluloid/, and Flatpak stores sandbox data under ~/.var/app/io.github.celluloid_player.Celluloid/. Remove those directories only when you want to erase saved preferences and recent history as well.

Celluloid on Ubuntu FAQ

Conclusion

Celluloid is installed on Ubuntu and ready for everyday playback, with mpv doing the heavy lifting behind the GTK interface. If you want the raw player underneath, install mpv media player on Ubuntu. If you want a broader codec-focused desktop alternative, install VLC media player on Ubuntu.